THE GAME
by KidxMaka4eva
Summary: On Your Marks. Get Set. Run... The Game Has Begun And There's No Going Back. You Can't Make A Sound And You Must Survive By Yourself. The Game Is Only Over When The Sun Rises - Or When Everyone, Has Lost. Do You Think You Can Outrun, What Waits For You On The Other Side? Let's Find Out. Rated T For Language And Violence. Kid X Maka.


**The Game**

_On your marks._

_Get set._

_**Run.**_

~ Maka ~

"Tonight?" I shivered uncontrollably - fear tearing through my body and steaming up my veins.

"Yeah," the blue haired boy seemed unusually calm. "It's gonna be great."

Patty shrieked from beside me. "It's gonna be fun!"

My lips were trembling rapidly. "I highly doubt that..."

Except for the five of us, the room was completely deserted. Nothing besides the existence of silence and emptiness closed in on us from every location. Despite myself, everyone seemed perfectly normal. No signs told me, they too - felt as if they were being suffocated.

Accidentally tapping my back with her foot, Liz turned to Tsubaki. "Will you be playing?"

"M-Most certainly not..." She stammered. "I do not wish to play such reckless games."

Liz shrugged, "suit yourself."

I felt invisible. Like I didn't exist even if I were to pierce their ears with a scream that could shatter Everest. Nothing but a grain of useless dust. Waiting to be noticed - just to get swept away. My silence was my only scream. I had just prayed that someone would've noticed by now - but no.

"Really...?" Soul walked up the stairs towards us. "You're still talking about that stupid game?"

The blue haired boy was hit by a powerful amount of offence. "It's not stupid!"

Soul raised an eyebrow. "You really think it's gonna work?"

I was grateful. I hadn't thought about whether or not if it was going to work. Things like that don't normally tend to, and I hadn't realised it sooner, that the game - most probably won't work.

The smile on my face somewhat brightened up my surroundings.

But the room was shinning as he walked through the door.

"Hey, Kid!" Patty waved excitedly. "Will you be our sixth player?"

His eyes shimmered like burning rays of starlight. "Sure, for what?"

He looked to everyone in the room, even a few empty corners that did nothing besides collect specks of decaying dust. And then he looked back to me, he's eyes sparkling like the stars nor the moon could ever compare to any ounce of beauty such as his.

Soul smirked, displaying every one of his razor sharp fangs. "The game."

~o~0~o~

It was fifteen minutes until midnight. I stood alone by the entrance of the woods with nothing but a flickering street light to light up my surroundings. But even still, I was terrified of every non existent shadow that sat around me, waiting for the moment where I would cower and cry on the darkened ground.

I were dressed in black, like everyone else should be. We had all gone shopping after school ended and bought the exact same things: A plain black t-shirt, black jeans, black shoes, and a black ski mask - to cover the whole of our heads.

In my left hand I gripped on tightly to a little black torch - "crucial that I must have one," quote Liz. My nails pierced at my palm due to my shaking grasp. Pinching and scratching until I forced myself to change hands.

Voices gathered from beyond. Growing louder as they proceeded to get closer, all being surrounded by the same darkness I was. No matter how close they got, I was unable to make out who they were, due to their black clothing - which was good, no one had lost the game.

Yet.

"Maka?" Liz's voice brought warmth and comfort to my chest. "Is that you?"

I nodded.

Soul was the one she had arrived with. "Where are the others?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

Liz scoffed. "They better get here soon. We have less than fifteen minutes."

Now that there were half of us, I could control my shaking and prevent myself from doing anymore damage to my hands. The feeling of finally being able to take control overwhelmed me. To the point where I tried my hardest to take hold of my relief as well as my fear, and only just manage.

It was twelve minutes until the game begun.

~ Kid ~

I walked quickly down the road, gripping hold of my torch in one hand whilst clutching onto my trembling wrist with the other. My shaking were taking hold of me, and there was no way just a hold of my arm was going to prevent it. I had to control it, or get out.

People were waiting up ahead, standing at the entrance of the woods whilst swamped in nothing but black clothing and ski masks. They too gripped their little black torches firmly in their hands, like their lives depended on keeping a hold of them as well as everything they breathed for.

There were three - and I had no idea who they were.

The point of the game was so that everyone looked the same. And it was safe to say how well it had worked to do so. No one had lost the game.

Yet.

Soul was one. "You made it then."

"Of course," I said sarcastically. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

The fragile sound of Maka's beautiful giggle tickled my ears as I smiled. But the only thing about it in which I hated, was that I didn't know who it was coming from. And that only, boiled every ounce of my thrashing blood and broke my hold on my quivering fear.

"We have ten minuets!" Soul was getting angry. "Where the hell are they?"

Liz's voice was some place else. "I think that's them down there."

I turned to face the direction in which she pointed, catching a glimpse of two dark silhouettes as they ran across the road. And judging by their black clothes and ski masks, I knew it was the people we were waiting on.

"Hurry up!" Soul shouted. "It's almost midnight."

I rolled my eyes. "Speaking of midnight, you might wanna keep it down."

"He's right." Patty stopped in front of me. "If we're caught, that's it. And there's no quitting the game."

We stood in a circle. Looking at each other in surprise and slight relief at how we all managed to look precisely the same. There was no way of telling who was who. No one was losing.

We all had torches in our hands. Holding them as firmly as we could. Not darling to let the slightest grip go in case they were to slip from our fingers, and then be forced to run in the dark.

"Okay guys, remember the rules?" Black*star was suddenly by my shoulder. "In a few minutes we begin the summoning."

Liz was standing on my other side. "So what are the torches for, may I ask?"

"There for if you get caught," the blue haired boy continued. "The light will make them flee."

She nodded understandingly, then took at step back next to someone else. Yet again - I had no idea who they were. All I know is they were one of us.

At least I hoped.

"Remember, it's crucial you remember this." Soul was somewhere else in the group. "When the summoning begins, you are quiet. You do not mutter a single noise. You don't even breathe if you think it's going to be loud. You. Stay. Silent."

Fear started to break loose inside me once more. Running freely up and down every single one of my nerves as well as swimming through my veins. It was suffocating to even move, let alone breathe.

Black*star continued. "If you think you hear someone you know, or even one of us, just remember - you're being tricked."

I wanted to take lead. "You cannot exit the game, nor can you leave the premises of where the game is taking place. If you decide to do so - you lose."

"The game is only over when the sun rises," Soul snickered. "Or when everyone's been caught."

A ringing bell startled every single one of us. Myself included as I felt my bones attempt to rip themselves from my skin.

Black*star fished his phone from his pocket, and turned to face us with eyes of concern but yet slight troublesome excitement. And as he looked from one of us to the next, it was obvious to catch on.

The game had started.

~ Maka ~

We sat in a line in the entrance of the woods. Black*star had handed us all a pocket sized bell as well as a thin twig that felt as if it wanted to snap in my palm. But I didn't dare make a noise.

It were silent. I swore I could hear the moon beaming down on me whilst telling me how bad of an idea this had been. But there was nothing it could do nor tell me - the game had begun, and there was no escaping till sunrise.

Someone began striking their bell. Slowly and softly, in unison with what felt like the wind. Creating a ring that seemed to linger on longer than planned.

They struck it again, and someone struck theirs slightly after. More piercing clangs of metal floating through the air around us as the air began to grow intensely thick, grabbing hold of me in it's wind.

I struck mine. Feeling the tingle of a chill as it brushed against my arm. Goosebumps shivered up my body, from head to toe, to fingers and hair strands beneath my mask. I had to bite my tongue to prevent myself from wincing or doing anything else that would make me lose the game.

By now everyone's bell had been struck. And still everyone continued to strike them as the wind toughened. Forcing me to sway rapidly from both the left and right as well as backwards and forwards. But still I carried on hitting the bell.

There was something behind me. I held no doubt about it, something was there, watching me, as well as watching everyone else.

_Ignore it. You need to ignore it._

I tapped my bell again, and something raced past in front of me.

My bell clanked against the stick, shunning the air into a loud piercing echo. Startling everyone from striking their bells and forcing them to turn to face me, hopefully - not recognising who I was.

I quickly tapped mine again, recreating the soft sound of a gentle ring within mine and everyone's surroundings, despite what now lurked there with us. But whatever it was, it wasn't there for good.

We struck again.

And again.

I felt them all around us - the shadows. Slowly closing in with every strike we didn't make, but being forced back away again when the ringing sounds were created.

Bushes rustled, sticks snapped and birds fled. One after the other - the trees were empty. But the forest however - wasn't.

Slowly but surely, the wind was calming. Dying down as the bells did too. Only this time shadows weren't closing in on us as the air was left silent. Everything was coming to a stop - as if it had never started in the first place.

I was no longer cold, in fact I was far from it. The violent wind had finally disappeared along with the suffocating shadows. The ringing was able to come to a complete stop, as we were all suddenly alone.

The bells were placed on the floor in front of us as we pushed ourselves to a stand. Feeling the slight rush of wind as it raced through the trees above us. Skimming past the midnight moon as it slept in the starlit sky.

Someone turned round to face us, their black ski mask remaining over their face so I couldn't tell who. And once everyone were staring in their direction, they lightly placed their finger over where their mouth would be. Instructing every single one of us to remain silent.

And then we ran.

~ Kid ~

We raced off deeper into the woods, all of us parting in different directions in hope that we'd manage to make the six hours we had of this nightmare game. There was no backing out from it. The demons were summoned - and they want us to play.

I fixated my grip on tighter to the torch, hoping for the best but still preparing for the worst if I were to be caught while running for a hiding place. My nails were scratching at my palm, but I pleaded them not to, in fear that the demons could smell blood as well as terror.

My body was shaking violently, my lips were trembling beneath my mask and my fingers forced themselves round the handle of the torch, determined to hold onto it with every aspect of my life.

I threw myself behind a few bushes. Darkness surrounding me as I stared out through the eye holes, feeling paranoia grab every inch of my quivering body as I turned my head from left to right. And every time I did so, there was nothing besides the dark sitting around me.

I could breathe easy.

**1:32 AM**

My heart was racing. My legs were aching from running backwards and forwards between hiding places. The moon still remained sitting in the sky while watching down on the six of us as we tried to hide for the next five hours.

Bushes were rustling and paranoia were trying to consume me, but as the moon continued to give me the light that I needed, I could carry on running on from one place to the next without wanting to rip myself apart.

I hadn't heard the others, nor had I seen them. I had no evidence that can prove that they hadn't been caught, I had nothing to tell me that they were okay. Just the moonlight as well as the hope that I'd see the light from their torches.

A stick snapped from behind me.

My heart puked blood inside my chest.

_No, no, no._

Every inch of my body froze into one motionless position. Despite my heart which was throwing itself from left to right inside me. Wanting to rip me apart before _they_ did.

I physically couldn't move. I dared not to. I was utterly terrified.

~ Maka ~

**2:04 AM**

A tear slivered down my cheek, only to be soaked up into the fabric that suffocated every inch of my teary face. I cried because I was so afraid, already two hours into the game and I wanted to kill myself with the next sharp object I saw.

"I give up!"

Patty.

"Stop! I don't want to play!"

I wanted to be sick. I wanted to climb one of the disoriented trees and throw myself from the top of it, in order to escape the nightmare I had crawled my way into.

"I'm begging you to stop the game!"

_It's a trick Maka. Patty isn't that stupid. It's a trick. It's a trick._

"Someone help me!"

She didn't say our names.

That isn't her.

"Can anyone hear me?"

I raced forward, as fast as I could. Accidentally bashing my ribs into branches and causing my self excruciating pain as I did so. Multiple sticks cracked and shattered beneath my shoes as I proceeded to run deeper into the woods, not realising the direction I were running in.

At an even faster speed a shadow raced past me.

I stopped immediately, throwing myself from every direction in order to catch a glimpse of it and force it to flee with the light from my torch. But my fear took control over every single one of my actions.

Again it ran behind me. Snapping sticks and kicking stones, and disappearing into the quivering darkness of the night.

All I could do was carry on breathing.

_Control yourself Maka!_

It were breathing, taking short loud breaths in my ear. One - after - the other.

I had to stay silent. I was forbidden to give myself away. The demons couldn't know who and what I was.

It's cold and wet flesh were resting against my back, decaying flesh rubbing against my clothes. "Someone help me..."

I opened my mouth to scream but nothing came out. No noise pierced the air around me as I threw my torch round behind me, grasped tightly as I hit the creature with a cracking snap.

It yelped and fell to the floor with a thud.

I flashed my torch on and shone it towards the demon, forcing a high pitched shrill from it's razor infested lips.

My heart flipped and drowned to my stomach as it darted from the floor and up into the treetops as well as the suffocating darkness.

I wanted to die.

**2:53 AM**

I ran as fast as I could. Terror building up in the pit of my stomach as I continued to do so, only wishing I could collapse at any minute and wake up in my bedroom. But no matter how long I was running, it just never occurred to happen.

_I want to leave. I need to._

My torch was smashed and was still working ever so slightly as I remained gripping it tightly in my hand. I didn't even know whether or not if I needed it, I only knew two things: Run, and be silent.

Something was running towards me.

Full speed towards me, smashing branches and anything else it came across as it darted through the woods just as I was.

Everything was dark, I couldn't see anything or anyone around me, nor could I even see the moon above me. It was only for a second, but I thought I had lost my eye sight altogether.

Their footsteps grew louder, sharper, quicker.

I knew they were coming for me.

So I stopped.

_A weapon Maka._

A branch lay on the ground beside me, and not wasting a second to hesitate I clipped my torch to my jeans and grasped the branch in my hands, preparing for anything and anyone that were on the verge of jumping out on me.

It was a dark figure in a mask. They ran out of the bushes in front of me and pulled themselves to a sharp stop as they caught a glimpse of my armed presence.

And I had never felt more safe - than I did for that second.

They were grabbed and thrown from side to side, the demons claws scratching at their fragile bare arms, ripping their skin to shreds.

A high pitched shrill escaped their lips, in which created the moment that I realised it was Liz. And even more terrified me when I realised, Liz had been caught.

She lost.

_Let her go!_

I tried to move quickly but as I swung for the disoriented figure it jumped away into the darkness, taking Liz along with it.

~ Kid ~

**3:16 AM**

Blood streamed from the side of my exposed face. My mask had been torn to shreds as well as half of my skin, but as the adrenaline was pumping throughout my broken body, I swore to myself that I'd keep on running. Even if it were the last thing I'd ever do.

Moments before I had heard Liz scream, which was obvious to what it meant.

Someone had already lost the game.

_Liz..._

All I kept thinking to myself was whether or not there was another way to end it. If there was another way in which we could safely exit the game. But there was nothing I couldn't even come close to coming up with.

We just had to keep running.

"Hey..."

Maka's voice came from behind me.

"Help me."

_It's not her._

She carried on, "I know you can hear me."

I continued on walking, placing my hand firmly over the bloody left side of my face. I wasn't going to stop, I had escaped one, I could escape more.

"If you leave me... I'm going to die."

I froze.

The thought of Maka dying - killed me. And that demon's sentence, forced things into my head that made me hate the game even more than ever possible.

_What if it is Maka._

Slowly, I began to turn around, daring myself to face the demon that had disguised themselves to be exactly like her, in order to rip me to shreds.

But as I were half expecting to see both Maka or a demon, I was surprised to find that the space behind me, was none the less - empty.

I wanted to rip my heart out, and anything that I could possibly feel. I wanted to be emotionless.

_Maka._

~ Maka ~

**3:59 AM**

The moon was beginning to go down and relief flipped inside my stomach as I realised there were most likely only two hours of the game to go. But something in my mind still told me that within two hours - so much could happen.

I crouched on the floor, leaning up against the trunk of a tree and repeatedly tapping my head against it. In possible hope that I could end everything in that moment, and just die in a way that would never effect anyone.

Except the one's who'll die tonight.

Another scream. A boy. It's Black*star.

_He lost._

_THIS WAS A STUPID IDEA._

I threw my smashed up torch into the bush opposite me, hearing a thud as it hit the floor. Only realising seconds after that I had thrown my crucial object of survival and I had created a noise - and given myself away.

So I grabbed my branch and I walked in deeper, expecting to see a shadow demon as soon as I stepped between the trees.

But instead I was greeted by one of us. No idea who, but I knew it wasn't either Liz nor Black*star. Because they had both - lost the game.

Blood stained their shirt, and their torch was shattered just as mine was. The glass was falling from the bulb and smashing against the dirt covered floor. And I couldn't help but picture accidentally cutting myself open with it.

The shadow demons grabbed me. Their razor claws scratching at my arms like chalk. Peeling my skin away from my living breathing body, although I was almost breathless.

I kicked and I wriggled, but still I did not utter a single sound. I kept every bit of sound locked up inside me, building up over and over again until I couldn't no longer.

I was on the verge of screaming. Crying. Begging for the shadow demon to put me out of my misery, but before I could even think of what to say, the shadow demon yelped in pain and threw me to the floor.

I was grabbed again, pulled into the arms of one of my blood covered friends. Their strong weeping arms burying themselves around me like a barrier from everything that surrounded me.

**Should I continue?**


End file.
